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For the past 11 years, the sentence that perhaps best characterized OAS activities was, "Ask Ed, he will know how to handle it." In November 2000, the Academy reluctantly accepted the resignation of Edward N. Nelson as its Executive Secretary-Treasurer and at the annual banquet formally acknowledged his innumerable contributions by presenting him with the its outstanding service award.
Most members are familiar with Ed's activities at the spring and fall field meetings and the fall technical meeting—handling registration, finding extra meal tickets, distributing programs, and answering question after question. Unknown to most individuals, however, are the numerous tasks he did between meetings—conducting the financial business of both the Academy and the Junior Academy, mailing the Proceedings, producing the newsletter, producing the program booklet for the technical meeting, helping the local representative organize the technical meeting, and chaperoning OJAS students on the trips to their national meetings. These necessary, time-consuming activities are essential to the viability of an organization such as OAS, and during Ed's tenure our organization has become one of the most thriving academies in the country.
Ed's professional career began in 1950. After graduating from Western Washington College of Education, he taught 6th, 7th, and 8th grade science in Oregon and Washington. Earning his MEd and MS from Oregon State University in 1958 and 1959, he joined the faculty at Clark College in Washington. In 1968 he accepted a faculty position in the Department of Biology at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa. While teaching full-time, he earned his EdD from Oklahoma State University in 1976 and rose through academic ranks to full professor. He is now professor emeritus.
As a professor, Ed's activities have encompassed both research and science education. His research activities have focused on aquatic plants, especially weedy taxa, and wetlands. He is co-author of Aquatic Plants of Oklahoma and has published several papers on Myriophyllum, water milfoil. Najas, water nymph, and Elymus, wildrye, have been the subjects of other publications. He also has disseminated his research via presentation at technical meetings of OAS and the Aquatic Plant Management Society. With respect to his educational endeavors, Ed served for five years on an "entry-level teacher assistance" committee in Tulsa. In addition, he has long been active in judging at science and engineering fairs at the state, national, and international levels.
Ed's service to professional societies encompasses more than just OAS. He is also an active member of the National Association of Biology Teachers and National Science Teachers Association. In 1999, he was elected Treasurer of the National Association of Academies of Science. He has also contributed his expertise and guidance to the Beta Beta Beta Biological Honor Society. In recent years, he has been involved in the American Junior Academy of Science.
The present vigor of the Oklahoma Academy Science is due in large part to the efforts of Ed Nelson, and it is most appropriate that his service be recognized formally by this Award of Merit for Service.
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